True to Nature: Trees in Scottish Art
Trees, as an extension of the natural landscape, have been weighted with meaning throughout the history of art. Over time allegory gave way to the decorative and picturesque. The broader meanings and metaphors, however, remained. Our exhibition, starting with Alexander Nasmyth (1758- 1840), looks at paintings by Scottish artists and how they’ve used trees either as their subject, or as features within a composition.
Nasmyth’s arcadian landscape painting clearly references Claude Lorrain (1600-82), and like Claude, Nasmyth uses trees to evoke mood. In many of his works, and in his sons Patrick and James’s work, which is also in this exhibition, regular use is made of the timeless metaphor of stumps and blasted trees alongside young, verdant ones: barren versus fruitful; growth, decline and regrowth. Horatio McCulloch’s (1805-1867) sweeping vista of the Trossachs includes woodland and copses and a tangle of undergrowth, replete with adder. However, what is immediately striking about his picture is the stand of Scots Pine. Tall and elegant, they set the tone and capture the pride that McCulloch conveys in his native land.
Bridging the centuries is a small watercolour by a little-known painter, William Hackstoun (1855-1921). In a slightly surreal landscape, a copse of highly stylised trees stands over a ploughman. They add an unsettling air to the scene. Encouraged to draw and paint by the writer and art critic John Ruskin, Hackstoun benefitted from Ruskin’s edict to look at "ordinary forest or copses".
By the 20th century the depiction of trees in paintings comes back to the allegorical. Barbara Balmer’s Cloister Garden, San Gimignano is a morass of trees and vegetation within architectural confines. The plants appear sentient. Her schematically defined trees in compositions devoid of people are weighted with the psychological presence of human life and its complexities. John Byrne’s trees and undergrowth spring entirely from the imagination. Carefully and knowingly composed, his arboreal world is one of threat to imposters. His trees are used for concealment.
The mysteries of growth and decay that artists have explored over centuries is a hot topic right now. Ecology is at the forefront of public debate. Wouldn’t it be good to think that some of the trees in these paintings have lived on long past the artists that painted them.
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John Clerk of EldinBorthwick Castle from the Easttitled 'Borthwick' and initialled 'CE'etching and drypoint4 x 6 ¼ inchesonly state
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John Clerk of EldinHillhead near Lasswadeetching and drypoint5 ¾ x 12 inchesonly state
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John Clerk of EldinNewark Castle, 1776titled 'Newark to the Earl of Cassills', initialled 'JC', dated 1776 and inscribed 'No.53'etching and drypoint4 x 6 1/4 inches3rd state
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John Clerk of EldinDurhametching and drypoint8 x 11 3/4 inches2nd state
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Alexander Nasmyth HRSALochside scene with castleoil on canvas18 ½ x 24 ½ inches
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Alexander Nasmyth HRSALoch Ness with distant view of Dochfour Houseoil on canvas18 1/4 x 24 inches
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Alexander Nasmyth HRSAThe Miller's Linn, Inverary, 1807signed and dated 1807oil on canvas22 x 34 inches
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Alexander Nasmyth HRSATravellers on a coastal pathoil on canvas9 x 12 ¾ inches
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Julius Caesar IbbetsonView of Rosslyn Castle from the grounds of Sheriff Clerk (Mavisbank), c.1803oil on canvas18 x 24 ½ inches
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Rev. John Thomson of Duddingston HRSARocky Burn near Loch Riddon, Argyllshireinscribed in another hand verso 'Rocky Burn near Loch Riddon / Argyllshire / Rev John Thomson / Duddingston'; inscribed on label versooil on canvas12 x 10 inches
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Rev. John Thomson of Duddingston HRSAInnerwick Castle, c.1827oil on canvas36 1/2 x 54 3/4 inches
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Patrick NasmythTintern Abbey, 1827signed and dated 1827 on panel verso; inscribed on label verso “This picture landscape / with Tintern Abbey in the distance / was bought from Peter Nasmyth by John Hampa and sold by / him to Lord Murray for 30 guineas / and was bought by me after / Lord Murray's death for / John Burt Esq. M.D. / D Bruce”; inscribed on panel verso “No 24 / P... Nasmyth / Lon... / 1827”oil on panel7 ¼ x 9 ¾ inches
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Robert Gibb RSALittle Farm near Edinburgh, Craigmillar in the distancetitled by another hand on 19th century label versooil on panel19 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches
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James Giles RSAA Waterfalloil on panel5 x 7 inches
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James Giles RSACastle by Moonlightoil on panel5 x 7 inches
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William Leighton LeitchDeeside near Balmoral, Aberdeenshire - Showery Day, 1864signed and dated 1864, signed and inscribed with title on label versowatercolour23 x 34 inches
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Horatio McCulloch RSALochside view in The Trossachsoil on canvas32 x 53 inches
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Horatio McCulloch RSANorhamsignedwatercolour6 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches
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John Crawford Brown ARSAThe Millsigned on board versooil on board11 x 15 inches
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James NasmythEllen’s Island, Loch Katrine, 1888inscribed ‘Helen's Island Loch Katrine / James Nasmyth Aug 19 1888 / b Aug 19 1808’ on board versooil on panel11 ½ x 15 ¼ inches
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Sam Bough RSA RSWA river landscape, 1859signed and dated 1859oil on canvas14 x 26 inches
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Alexander Fraser Jnr RSA RSWBen Venuesignedoil on canvas30 x 40 inches
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William Beattie Brown RSAA Moorland Tarn, Rannoch, Perthshiresigned; signed and titled on stretcher versooil on canvas14 x 26 inches
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James Paterson RSA RSWCluden Mill on the Nith near Dumfriessignedwatercolour7 x 10 inches
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William HackstounLandscapesignedwatercolour10 x 13 inches
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Robert Burns ARSAA country path in wintersignedwatercolour15 1/2 x 28 1/4 inches
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Alick Riddell Sturrock RSAWooded landscapesignedoil on canvasboard12 x 16 inches
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James Cowie RSANear Hospitalfield, c.1941signedpencil and watercolour6 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches
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Sir William Gillies RA RSA PRSWWinter, Caverhill, 1955signed and dated 1955; titled on artist's label versopencil and watercolour21 3/4 x 29 inches
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James Reville RSWTreessigned in plateetching and drypoint6 7/8 x 9 3/4 inches
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James McIntosh Patrick OBE RSAPowrie Castlesigned and inscribed 'Trial Proof'etching5 x 6 1/2 inches
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John McNairnTrees, c.1935charcoal13 x 18 inches
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Joseph Maxwell RSWTrees, Dalmunziesigned; titled on exhibition label versowatercolour20 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches
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Barbara Balmer RSA RSWCloister Garden, San Gimignano, c.1976signed; titled versooil on board36 x 42 inches
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Barbara Balmer RSA RSWLittle May Tree, 1973signed; signed, titled, dated 1973 and inscribed with artist's address on frame versooil on board48 x 40 inches
121.9 x 101.6 cm -
John Byrne RSAA Sailor Boy, 1967signed 'Patrick'oil on board11 x 9 ¾ inches
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John Byrne RSALa Bête Rouge, 2014signedoil on board29 1/2 x 22 1/2 inches
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Tim PomeroyA Dialogue of Rings, 2021signed and dated 2021 versocypress70 x 64 x 6 cm